


What You Didn't Deserve

by shinkonokokoro



Category: The Avengers - All Fandoms
Genre: Abusive Relationships, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-15
Updated: 2012-04-15
Packaged: 2017-11-03 16:30:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/383540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shinkonokokoro/pseuds/shinkonokokoro
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Someone's hurt Tony. In the past. Ignored him. Abused him. Somehow. It makes Steve want to punch someone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What You Didn't Deserve

**Author's Note:**

> Little drabble inspired by [Ironfries's](www.ironfries.tumblr.com) ramblings. :)

Steve's first clue is when Tony asks, "Why do you hang around so much?" Steve has to blink and then says slowly, "I want to spend time with you." Tony looks surprised and then quickly returns his attention to his machines. "Is that... Is that okay?"

"No. No, it's fine," Tony answers quickly. His cheeks might be a bit pink. 

"Don't you usually spend a lot of time with the people you date?" Steve asks.

"Uh..." Tony replies, distracted. He's still tinkering with parts.

“Tony?” Steve gets up and wanders closer to his workbench.

“Sure. Yeah, Cap.” But he’s distracted. And lying.  


Steve frowns. “Hey. Would you answer me?”

Tony jerks a little, looking up at Steve, eyes wide. “What? Sorry. What.”

“I just...” Steve frowns again.

“You’ve got the face. What’d I do?” Tony demands, eyes sharp despite the fact that his shoulders are hunched.

“Nothing. Nothing, Tony. I just... I wanted to get an answer. It’s not important.” Steve shakes his head and forces his lips into a smile. Tony’s smile is hesitant in return, so Steve dips his head and kisses him. Gentle and loving. 

  


Steve notices other things over the next month and a half. Like how Tony gets squirrely when Steve’s leaning over his shoulder. How Tony’s flesh jumps when Steve puts his hands on him from behind. How Tony sometimes looks confused when all Steve does is push his hands through his own hair after Tony’s made him angry. How Tony usually keeps his hands in his pockets and apologises when they’re rough and dirty. How he blinks at Steve when Steve takes his hand in hand anyway and grins with a muttered, ‘charcoal.’

  


Then Steve is introduced to Tiberious. 

“Mr. Rogers!” he says, holding a hand out.

Steve bristles at the way he looks over Tony hungrily and says cooly, “Captain Rogers.”

Stone just laughs and drops his hand. “Sure, sure. Tony. How are ya?”

Tony gives him a lop-sided grin and shrugs, hands in his pockets. He stiffens when Tiberious leans in and grabs Tony up in a hug. 

“Good. Imagine seeing you here!”

Amidst all of the other people at the charity function, it’s entirely  not surprising to see him here, Steve thinks. And certainly not since it’s for one of  Tony’s  charities.

“Yeah, nice to see you again, Ty.”

“We should catch up.”

“I ca--”

Stone ignores him and puts a hand on Tony’s forearm. Tony leans away. “Lemme get you a drink.”

Tony’s eyes go wide and he licks his lips.

Steve wants to swear. Parties like this are hard enough as it is. Champagne flowing freely and martinis everywhere.

“Uh. No. No thanks. I don’t--”

“Aw come on. I’ll get your usual. Hasn’t changed right?”   


Steve stands at Tony’s elbow, glaring at the man, not used to feeling ignored when he’s sure he’s looming something fierce. But Tony is leaning back into him and away from Stone in a way that makes him think,  this is him. This is the guy. He’s the asshole... Instead, he merely says aloud, “Thank you, but no. You don’t normally offer alcohol to a recovering alcoholic, do you?”   


Tiberious blinks up at him. “Wow. You the fun police or something?”   


“Captain America,” Tony mutters.   


“Captain America!” Stone looks at him with new appreciation. “Wow. Got yourself a good one, huh, Tony?” The smile he wears turns sour as he leers at Tony and becomes, if possible, more sleazy.   


Steve’s stomach turns. “It was nice to meet you,” he says, regardless and then murmurs to Tony as he turns away, “Come on, Tony.”   


Stone laughs. “God, he’s got you whipped, huh?”   


He really couldn’t help it. And while he apologised to the public, Steve’s not sorry at all that he broke Stone’s jaw and broke a table with the force that he flung the man across the room. He grabs Tony’s hand and pulls him after him.   


Tony stares back over his shoulder at Tiberious and then turns that gawping look up to Steve as he stumbles after him. “What the fuck did you do that for?”   


“He’s an ass,” Steve growls, everyone parting like the proverbial Red Sea before him. They burst out into the night air and Tony jerks his hand out of Steve’s.   


“What the hell!”   


Steve turns and feels instantly bad about how he just manhandled Tony out of there. “I’m sorry! I didn’t...”   


“Steve. What is going on?”   


He sucks in a deep breath. “He didn’t... He didn’t treat you right. Doesn’t treat you right! He was taunting you! 

And I didn’t... I just wanted... I don’t regret punching him!”

Tony’s expression goes tired before it softens and he gives Steve a muted smile, kind of sad. Kind of fond. “You’re an idiot...”   


Steve jerks.   


“No. No, you’re fine. I’m sorry. Yeah...” Tony runs his hand through his hair, sunglasses falling over his eyes conveniently. “I’m okay. I’m okay now. It was a while back.”   


“But he was a jerk to you, Tony, and he was making you uncomfortable!”   


“Don’t you think that’s my call?”   


He snaps his mouth shut with a click.    


“I mean...” Tony hurries on. “I mean, I would have said something. Eventually. I would have said something eventually. Fuck. I didn’t. I wasn’t expecting to see him tonight. S’why it set me off. I’m sorry. You’re just trying to help. And that’s... I’m sounding really ungrateful.”   


“No. Tony...  I’m sorry.” Steve reaches out for his hands, but lets them fall unconnected. “I just... I assumed. I saw... You seemed. Sorry, this is going poorly. I saw him making you uncomfortable, and I saw him being a dick, and I got so...angry. Because... Well. You deserve better...”    


Tony’s hands come out and grab his. “Thanks. I appreciate the sentiment. And...” He looks somewhere up and to his right. “I... I guess I don’t regret you punching him either. Tiberious Stone is a raging fuckwad who isn’t worth my time anymore.”   


Steve smiles. “You’re not...mad?”   


“Steve, you’re the least controlling guy I know. I think I’m okay with you. You...take care of me.” Tony grins. “That and you’ve said ‘sorry’ to me about five times in the past two minutes. Ty never said sorry to me once.”   


“We’re okay?”   


“We’re great,” Tony says with warmth, squeezing his hands. “And he deserved that punch.”

Steve grimaces. “That’s going to be a PR nightmare...”

“Eh!” Tony says cheerfully. “I’ve done worse!”

Rolling his eyes, Steve tugs Tony closer. “Promise me. You have to promise me. Tell me. Tell me if there’s ever a problem. Even if it’s a little thing.”

“Okay. Okay, Steve. I’ll promise.” Tony’s gentle little smile tilts then, turning into something that makes Steve’s blood burn with other promises. “Wanna go home?”

“Yeah. Yeah, home sounds good.”

And maybe tomorrow, Tony’s shoulders don’t flinch when Steve shuffles up behind him and puts his hands on them.

 


End file.
